Annual Report 2007-2008

Unit reports Addition of web-based bibliographic instruction Establishment of the Learning Commons Installation of new workstations Lots of statisticshttps://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/library_pub/1039/thumbnail.jp

Matching service development to mental health needs: a case study of a rural county

The development of Somerset's mental health services from 1991 to 1996 involved the closure of the county's last long-stay hospital, and its replacement by more local in-patient provision and an expansion of community services. The process and outcome of this change is examined, drawing upon (a) an externally-commissioned evaluation in 1994-6 and (b) a comprehensive mental health needs assessment in 1996. The findings from these studies indicate that the development of accommodation for people with severe and long-term mental health problems has been dominated by the needs of long-stay residents in the old institutions. This led initially to geographical inequities and a shortage of supported accommodation for others with severe and enduring mental health problems. However, developments during this period also suggest a local capacity to detect and respond to unmet needs in this group

Predictive sensor method and apparatus

A microprocessor and electronics package employing predictive methodology was developed to accelerate the response time of slowly responding hydrogen sensors. The system developed improved sensor response time from approximately 90 seconds to 8.5 seconds. The microprocessor works in real-time providing accurate hydrogen concentration corrected for fluctuations in sensor output resulting from changes in atmospheric pressure and temperature. Following the successful development of the hydrogen sensor system, the system and predictive methodology was adapted to a commercial medical thermometer probe. Results of the experiment indicate that, with some customization of hardware and software, response time improvements are possible for medical thermometers as well as other slowly responding sensors